Blue Cross Blue Shield pulling out of many Georgia counties

The counties in blue will still be covered by BCBS of Georgia. (Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield)

(Source: WABE-FM/Georgia Public Broadcasting)

(Source: WALB-TV)

(Source: WTVM File)

(WTVM) – Blue Cross Blue Shield, the largest health insurer in Georgia, announces they're pulling out of over half the counties in the state, including Muscogee.

For more than seven decades, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) has served consumers in the Individual market.

BlueCross is the sole health plan offering exchange coverage this year in all of Georgia's 159 counties. If Blue Cross had pulled out, the commissioner's office said it would have devastated Georgia's market.

Blue Cross Blue Shield will not offer individual health insurance coverage in Harris, Chattahoochee, and Marion counties next year- just to name a few.

They say the decision stems from uncertainty in the White House.

Congress won't give health insurance companies answers and President Trump has threatened to eliminate subsidies to help lower deductibles for customers with lower incomes.

That's when they say they couldn't wait anymore.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia wanted to make sure you realize individuals with employer sponsored insurance or Medicare are not impacted by these decisions.

A spokesperson for the insurance company had this to say:

A stable insurance market is dependent on products that create value for consumers through the broad spreading of risk and a known set of conditions upon which rates can be developed. We are pleased that some steps have been taken to address the long term challenges all health plans serving the individual market are facing. However, the continued uncertainty makes it difficult for us to offer Individual health plans statewide.

Beginning in 2018, BCBSGa will offer on and off exchange Individual health plans in 85, mostly rural counties that would otherwise not have health insurance coverage for their residents. It’s important to note, individuals who have employer sponsored insurance or Medicare are not impacted by these changes.

BCBSGa will remain focused on developments in the Individual marketplace and will continue to advocate for solutions that will stabilize the market and allow us to once again, offer individual insurance coverage throughout the state of Georgia.

- Debbie Diamond

Here is a list of the Georgia counties and the 2018 projected health insurance companies: